Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop pay in California
In California, the median pay for hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop is $17.62 an hour ($36,640 a year). About 41,100 people work in this job there.
That is 17% higher than the U.S. median ($31,200). California ranks 6th of 51 states and territories for this job’s median pay.
Pay range for hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop in California
| Earns more than | Hourly | Yearly |
|---|---|---|
| 10% of workers | $16.52 | $34,360 |
| 25% of workers | $16.92 | $35,200 |
| Half of workers (median) | $17.62 | $36,640 |
| 75% of workers | $20.61 | $42,860 |
| 90% of workers | $22.14 | $46,060 |
Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop pay in California metro areas
| Metro area | Median yearly pay | People in this job |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara | $42,400 | 1,860 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $39,810 | 4,090 |
| Napa | $38,200 | 490 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma | $37,720 | 650 |
| Vallejo | $37,520 | 280 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $36,920 | 15,340 |
| Salinas | $36,380 | 610 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $36,140 | 4,720 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville | $36,050 | 280 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara | $35,620 | 700 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles | $35,380 | 570 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura | $35,370 | 930 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom | $35,330 | 2,300 |
| Chico | $35,170 | 190 |
| Stockton-Lodi | $35,070 | 480 |
| Redding | $35,050 | 160 |
| Modesto | $35,030 | 420 |
| Yuba City | $34,880 | 120 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $34,830 | 4,330 |
| Merced | $34,690 | 110 |
| Bakersfield-Delano | $34,660 | 490 |
| Visalia | $34,510 | 210 |
| El Centro | $34,320 | 100 |
| Fresno | $34,320 | 790 |
| Hanford-Corcoran | $34,320 | 50 |
California unemployment rate: 5.1% (August 2026), U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Education, experience and outlook for hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop
- Typical education to start: No formal educational credential (BLS)
- Related work experience most have: None (O*NET)
- Training on the job: Short-term on-the-job training (BLS)
- Job outlook: +3.4% over ten years, about as fast as average · about 107,100 openings a year (BLS)
Related jobs in California
| Job | Median yearly pay |
|---|---|
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | $42,280 |
| Waiters and Waitresses | $36,080 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | $46,980 |
| Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers | $36,010 |
| Bartenders | $36,220 |
| Food Servers, Nonrestaurant | $39,010 |
| Hotel, Motel, and Resort Desk Clerks | $39,360 |
| Demonstrators and Product Promoters | $46,220 |
Other job titles for this job
Open hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop jobs on JAI Bot
No open jobs in this field right now. Search all jobs or set up a free job alert.
Hiring hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop? Use the free hiring guide for a job description and interview questions, then post the job on JAI Bot. Every job shows typical pay to job seekers.
Post a job freeFind jobsCheck pay for any jobSource: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates. Figures are for wage and salary workers and do not include the self-employed. The median is the middle wage: half earn more, half earn less. Other job titles: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license; O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. JAI Bot has modified this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.